Frequently Asked Questions

RETURNS

If you are not satisfied with your HELIOS® purchase, you may request a return within 30 days of the ship date. To be eligible for a refund, you must return the product in its original packaging and all documentation in the same condition that you received it. Read our full Returns Policy.

The best way to change your order is to email us at support@helioshockey.com. If an order is shipped, we won't be able to make any changes to your order and you would need to place a new order.

SHIPPING

We are shipping direct to customers in the United States and Canada. HELIOS is currently available in North America with plans to expand to Europe.

Orders are processed in the order we receive them unless you've chosen expedited shipping. Orders received before 2pm EST typically ship same or next business day. You can track your order status on a tracking page that is emailed to you when your shipping label is generated.

MEMBERSHIP

HELIOS currently offers a 12-month PRO Annual Membership with the HELIOS Core device included on our website or at one of our retail partner locations for Pure Hockey (US) or Pro Hockey Life (CAN).

There is no minimum age requirement. However, based on how our technology has been tested, we typically recommend it for players who are 9+.

For users under 13 years old we have implemented a parent/guardian verification and consent process into the sign-up of our app. This allows a parent/guardian to be informed and grant permission.

Customers get started for $300 USD with our PRO Annual membership which includes 12 months of service and the Core performance sensor. 
 
After your first 12 months, you choose one of the below membership options:
  • PRO Annual: $25/month (Billed Annually)
  • PRO Monthly: $30/month (Billed Monthly)
  • REC: Free

There are three membership options for getting started with HELIOS. All options include the same Core sensor with wireless charging and mounting accessories.

  • PRO Monthly : you pay for your first month today, we send you the Core sensor and you're committing to your first three months. You can pause once per calendar year for up to 5 months. If you cancel in the first year, you need to return the hardware to HELIOS to end your membership.
  • PRO Annual : you pay for your first year (12 months) upfront, we send you the hardware and it's yours to keep.
  • PRO 24 Month : you pay for your first two years (24 months) upfront, we send you the hardware and it's yours to keep.

HELIOS APP

Yes! We are available on both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store under HELIOS App.

The Leaderboard, located on the Social tab inside the HELIOS App is a points-based ranking of weekly, monthly and all-time totals.

Players earn points in two ways - fixed points for completing a practice, game or skills sessions (participation), and, variable points for how their performance for that specific session compares to their individual baseline. The points are automatically computed at the end of each session along with a Hustle Score during the syncing process with the HELIOS cloud.

Compete with other high-performance players near and far on the HELIOS platform.

You only need to be within Bluetooth range to START, STOP and SYNC. During the session your phone doesn't have to be near your Core sensor.  The Core stores all the results locally to be synced later when you stop the session. For example, many players leave their phone in the locker room while out on the ice. It is okay to let the HELIOS App go into the background on your device.

METRICS

The HELIOS Core uses a game-changing Stride Recognition Technology (SRT) that our team from MIT and the NHL developed to recognize left and right skating stride. This proprietary technology was developed using an AI technique called machine learning where thousands of hours of actual skating data was used to train the Core to know what skating stride looks like.

This is our basic building block that allows our product to be a simple sensor and smartphone app that requires zero infrastructure enabling anyone to use it anywhere they skate.

We are currently tracking performance results, progress-over-time and percent rankings by birth year for four key skating metrics - SpeedExplosivenessAgility and Balance. In addition to these metrics, we deliver Shift AnalysisHustle Score (Low, Avg, High), Stride Count (per session and total all-time), Active Time and Heart Rate (HR) when a compatible HR device is used.

Read and see more on our Metrics page.

We are continuously developing new metrics that will be available to our members through a simple software update on their HELIOS App and Core when they are ready to use.

The Rankings by Birth Year feature is continuously updated by a process that runs each night in the HELIOS cloud. It takes all of your data and compares it to all the data for everyone else in your birth year, then we tell you where you stand for each metric. This is you vs. all players in your birth year.

The app will automatically start to show Rankings by Birth Year results once it is confident that it has enough data to represent your performance. This typically takes your first 5-10 sessions.

Highlighting your strengths and weaknesses is just one of our powerful features to help you improve your game.

The Hustle Score (Low, Avg, High) is a measure of your effort for a specific practice or game session. It is generated during the syncing process when the data from a specific practice or game is compared to your baseline model.

The app will automatically start to show Hustle Score results once it is confident that it has a good baseline model for your performance. This typically takes your first 5-10 sessions to build the baseline.

While the HELIOS Core does not track Heart Rate (HR) metrics on its own, you can set it up to connect to an off-the-shelf HR device and the Core will automatically grab the HR data with your skating performance data to show you a combined result in the HELIOS App.

The combination brings all the context you've never had when staring at beats per minute (bpm). Once the one-time setup is complete you'll only need to use the HELIOS App for everything.

To setup one of the currently supported HR device models in the HELIOS app visit Settings > Devices and click the '+' in the top right.

Don't see your HR device model? Just email us at support@helioshockey.com

CORE SENSOR

No, the Core sensor is intended to be one-per-player. We developed HELIOS to build a unique baseline model for each player and to "learn" more about their skating stride over time. Since we cannot offer the full value to multiple players sharing a Core, we recommend each player have their own Core sensor.

Yes, the Core was developed for use in practices, games and skills sessions. It is currently being worn in full-contact games by AAA, Junior, College and Pro players. The device is robust as it is fully-overmolded and gets firmly mounted on the player's shoulder pads. We also have features like Shift Analysis which add unique value to games.

The Core is not yet recommended for goalies. While it would track a goalie's skating stride, we believe this is a limited use case at the moment. We are working on goalie-specific models and metrics that will ultimately provide a unique experience and greater value to goalies in the future. Stay tuned for updates.

No. There is one Core size for players of all ages and sizes.

The Core measures 2.75 in x 2.25 in (7 cm x 5.7 cm) and weighs 1.25 oz (35 grams).

The Core is currently trained to deliver metrics for skating stride. This also works for inline (rollerblading) stride.

We are continuously developing new metrics to support new use cases on and off the ice that will be available to our members through a simple software update on their HELIOS App and Core when they are ready to use.

INSTANT VIDEO

Simply wear your HELIOS® Core during a game that is recorded on LiveBarn, upload the full game video and our technology will automatically cut out just your shifts so you can instantly watch or download your highlights.
 
You'll want to have LiveBarn Premium to be able to download your game in 30-minute segments.

MOUNTING

The Core can be mounted on your existing shoulder pads using either our Twist Mount or Strap Mount as described in the Quick Start Guide and on the Mounting the Core section of our Help Center. Both mounting options are included in each box for convenience and preference.

Yes. Both the Twist Mount and Strap Mount are very secure when mounted correctly.

For the Twist Mount, we spent months working with the world's leading manufacturer of tapes and adhesives to create a solution that would could be easily applied with hand pressure, hold strong during impacts and even be removed with a peeling approach if necessary.

For the Strap Mount, the included strap uses a standard hooks-and-loops approach (without naming the brand we all know) to securely wrap around a pillar on the center front or center back of the shoulder pads to hold it snuggly in place.

CHARGING AND BATTERY

The Core is wirelessly charged using a USB-powered wireless charging pad included in the box.

It typically takes 2-3 hours to fully charge the battery inside the Core.

The battery will typically last between 6-10 hours of active sessions (e.g. practices, games or skills sessions when the user is actively skating). The exact life depends on how much the device is being used with the smartphone.

When the Core is on the wireless charging pad, the LED logo face will pulse quickly when the battery is near empty, glow in-and-out while charging and then turn solid when fully-charged.

At any point you can launch the HELIOS App and go to the Activity tab to see the battery percentage in the top right corner.